With over 150 movie posters to his name, Drew Struzan is the most famous poster artist of them all. Factor in his album and book covers and his artwork for the galaxy far, far away has been seen by millions, becoming an indelible part of the wider Star Wars story. Now enjoying a well-earned retirement, Fantha Tracks had the chance to catch up with Drew and discuss his time in the Star Wars galaxy, and some truly magical moments.
Fantha Tracks: It’s 25 years since Shadows of the Empire, where your artwork was front and centre in promotional material, on the cover of the soundtrack CD as well as the novel. Could you give us an insight into the creative choices that brought that piece to life?
Drew Struzan: Looking back, I didn’t realize what a big deal this project was going to be. I had worked with Lucasfilm often, by then. It was another opportunity for me to address their needs for the art which was always a delight with Lucasfilm. Honestly, how can I not have fun delving into the characters and riding along with their latest shenanigans. The Star Wars universe was always a fun place in which to play. Early on, the book covers offered me a lot of freedom of design. I liked that I also had the back cover over which I could extend the artwork creating a greater background than, say, on a poster. That required a different approach in some ways but also had the usual challenges of leaving plenty of room for added type. I received a synopsis of the story. Some things are a given. This is Luke and Leia’s fight. I put Leia on the back cover with Boba Fett to portray the rebellion’s determination. The ship, belonging to Fett, carries the frozen Han Solo away from danger. Luke dominates the cover. But wait, you say, Emperor Palpatine is bigger than Luke! True, but it’s that way with a purpose. When I compose, I’m looking to create a particular feeling. Palpatine is the evil SHADOW looming over Luke and Leah. So, even though Palpatine is larger, his presence sends the focus back to Luke and Leia.
The new release of the vinyl soundtrack from Varese Sarabande uses my original artwork. It is my deep honor to continue to be associated with Lucasfilm, composer Joel McNeely, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Fantha Tracks: For an artist of such amazing detail, you produced an incredible amount of work since your first movie poster in 1975. Your Twitter feed regularly gives us a peek behind the curtain with preliminary sketches and layouts. What’s the process – do you decide the layout, or do you provide multiple options for the client?
Drew Struzan: My job varies, so the answer is yes. And no. Sometimes I decide the layout. Sometimes marketing has already decided the layout and I’m asked to “work your magic.” Basically, that means work within the parameters of what exists but, perhaps clean up the composition so that the image “works” better. Composition is a visual language, in my case. I take out the umm’s and uhhh’s and suggest small changes if they are necessary. Most often I’m asked to create many design options.
Fantha Tracks: Your famous ‘circus poster’ for the 1978 re-release of Star Wars has a fascinating story behind it, working in tandem with Charles White III. How did that project come to you, and as an artist what is it like working with another creative?
Drew Struzan: Working with Charlie was a great experience. He is not only a fun guy but, as it turns out, a very generous guy. Charlie got the job. I don’t know how it came to him. What I do know is that he called me to ask if I wanted to do the portraits. Well, of course I said yes. Charlie did all the machines and characters. He “painted” with an air brush and dies. I wanted to learn the technique. I had never used an airbrush before. So, I watched with rapt interest as he created his portion of the artwork. After doing a considerable amount, he accidentally spilled bleach down the front of the board. We watched helplessly as his work disappeared under the flow. At that moment, I decided I would not use dies but would learn to use the acrylic paint I had been working with for a few years. I went back to my studio and began to experiment. That was a big change in my technique as I love the way the airbrush allows me to layer paint. The vibrancy was similar to oil painting, except it dries immediately and I was able to work faster with the airbrush which, as you know, is ideal for working in Hollywood.
BTW, I didn’t paint Luke, Leia, and Han Solo with the new technique. I wasn’t ready to switch at that moment. Instead, they are done in oil paint.
Fantha Tracks: The circus poster was the start of an amazing run with Lucasfilm and Amblin that encompasses many of the most beloved films of the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. How did you manage to fit in all of those incredible projects?
Drew Struzan: Ummm, lots of long days … and nights.
Fantha Tracks: Your reputation grew to such a degree that in addition to movie posters, you also provided covers for Lucasfilm novels including Star Wars for Bantam and the criminally overlooked Indiana Jones novels. You’d done albums covers in the 70’s for Black Sabbath, the Bee Gees and Alice Cooper, then changed formats to movie posters, so what differences are there between doing artwork for novels, albums and posters?
Drew Struzan: The basic difference is probably intent. Albums were more open to artistic interpretation perhaps because they didn’t pay much. Or, perhaps the reason for the more open-ended approach was that music is not a visual expression whereas posters are a reflection of a film. Whatever the reason, there are more, let’s call them guidelines for posters. There are legal considerations regarding the actors and their relationship in size to the title and to each other. Marketing has their own set of needs. Novels fall somewhere in between those two extremes. They have characters but they aren’t always defined as an actor has not been cast for the novel. And the format for novels is different from posters. Albums sometimes used the back cover for art as do novels. Think of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Alice Cooper’s Welcome to my Nightmare. But sometimes they don’t use art on the back. Whatever the job, one has to be adaptable and creative with the solutions.
Fantha Tracks: The arrival of the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition gave you the opportunity to complete your first trilogy of posters for the Star Wars saga after completing a trio for Indiana Jones. While distinct and unique, the three posters line up perfectly, so were they designed individually film by film, or conceived together as a trio?
Drew Struzan: They were conceived together. That was the best part of creating the trilogy from the outset of the job. It didn’t start that way, though. I was on the phone with the creative group at Lucasfilm. They were asking for a singular poster, but my thinking was here we are, the films are already done. We have all the reference material we need. Why not create a trilogy? It has been fun to also create a distinctive look for a series as in the Indiana Jones pieces.
Fantha Tracks: You’d delivered stunning posters for Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor, but The Phantom Menace was your first one-sheet for a brand-new Star Wars film, starting another trilogy of images to accompany the prequel trilogy. This coincided with the rise of photoshopped movie posters that steered away from the bespoke craft of artists like yourself. Could you see the change on the horizon, and did that have any influence your decision to retire?
Drew Struzan: Oh, definitely. The art of the painted poster was dying, and the style of advertising was changing. I’m old school. I still like to feel the brush and paint in my hand. Also, real paint is a very organic experience. You never know what might happen when you add more water and let it run or spray the paint or splatter … all those things I love to do. Half the fun is watching what happens and using that knowledge to create emotion in the art. I wouldn’t want to give that up by learning Photoshop. It isn’t in my nature.
Fantha Tracks: Despite retiring from movie posters, you’ve made a few Sinatra style comebacks. What prompts you to return for these ‘limited engagements’, and is there a project that might entice you in the future?
Drew Struzan: Freedom and love for the project lures me back into action. Not only did I enjoy working on Episode VII, but I was thrilled to have the great joy of working with J.J. Abrams. How can I say no to that? The joy of creation is really about those two things. What will be in the future is hard to say. James Mangold has hinted at a tempting offer. Will we be able to play together, as he phrased it? I don’t know at this point. Only time will tell.
Fantha Tracks: Your work can now be found in the Galactic Gallery, a physical gallery in Flower Mound, Texas. How did this fascinating endeavour come to be?
Drew Struzan: It was Ben Stevens that approached me to do some ComicCons with him. At that time, he had so many of the Star Wars stars with him: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels. I was winding down from the long days of work. It sounded very interesting to get out among the fans and hear their version of my career. Honestly, I was overwhelmed by the love the fans poured on me in those cons. I had no idea I had touched so many people with my work. For me, it had been a good job that I enjoyed, a privilege to work on such great projects. To learn that my work was hanging on so many walls, still appreciated even all these years later was a real shock. I worked hard to create pieces of art that not only fulfilled the criteria for the films but also it was important to me to reach out and touch people with the work. I guess I did. And I am grateful for all that love. So, when Ben offered to create a gallery for my work, I was, once again, overwhelmed. Still am. I’m so pleased that my work can be seen and enjoyed in person by anyone willing to travel to Flower Mound.
Fantha Tracks: Now that your tour of the Star Wars galaxy is finally complete, what are your feelings on your body of work in the galaxy far, far away, and was there ever a project that ‘got away’?
Drew Struzan: I feel blessed. I had no idea at the beginning of my career that life would take this path. I can say with a full heart that the Star Wars galaxy was not only good to me, but it was the thrill of a lifetime. My wife, who is a writer, appreciates the mythology of George Lucas’ imagination. I have to agree. Being part of a galaxy that has influenced our generation and that of our children and grandchildren has been a great experience. May the Force be with us all.
This interview with Drew is also featured in issue 476 of Starburst Magazine which also arrives today, 9th December 2021 and is the first print edition since the pandemic and the first of a new era as Starburst switches to a premium-format quarterly magazine after 44 years of monthly issues.
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter will bring a new issue, and you can subscribe to the ‘World’s Longest-Running Magazine of Fantastic Films and Television’.
- Hardcover Book
- Struzan, Drew (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages - 09/14/2010 (Publication Date) - Titan Books (Publisher)
